January 7, 2026 By Rory Earley
There have been many articles and posts recently regarding the Hingham Center for Active Living’s new building proposal. They come from truly caring Hingham residents, from senior citizens who are actively involved at the Center, and from environmentalists and economists who question many aspects of the plan. I think it’s important to listen to these voices and hear what they have to say. I have a slightly different perspective that I’d like to add to the mix as you consider how you will vote this spring.
That perspective is not one consisting of numbers and figures, but one of joy. The definition of joy is a state of being that allows one to experience intense, long lasting happiness and contentment in life. That is how I would describe the overall essence of everyone involved at the Center. I have been an active volunteer for about five years, and every time I walk back to my car from my “shift,” I feel deep personal fulfillment not only from giving back but from the many conversations and discussions I have with the senior citizen members and the kindhearted staff.
The people at the Center care about each other. They look out for one another, and they share many lifetimes of experiences, both beautiful and heartbreaking. Many of these stories come from lifelong Hingham residents who recall attending Foster School in the 1950s or walking to Hingham Middle School when it was located in the current Town Hall. They raised their children here and coached Little League games at Haley Field. They are us. Their stories are woven into the fabric of our community.
As this population has aged, some have lost a great deal. Many friends have died, spouses have passed, and their children often live far away. Their social circles have disappeared, and some have lost the ability to drive. Many rely on the Center to drive them to the grocery store or to doctor’s appointments. Sometimes they hitch a ride to the Center, where they play cards, join an exercise class, or sit in the Center’s “living room” to read the paper and feel a little less alone. The Center has created a space of engagement, connection, and fun.
Connection does not happen in a vacuum. It needs an accessible and welcoming space. The Center has outgrown its current home and needs a new one. I urge you to join me in supporting this new building plan. Please come to Town Meeting in April and vote in the town election in May. Lastly, please give your time if you’re able, whether that means volunteering, helping a neighbor, or simply conversing with a stranger who may need a moment of connection. The greatest gift we can give is our time.
Thank you, Rory, for putting words to something that can be hard to quantify but felt so deeply. Your years of service at the Center and the joy, dignity, and connection you describe are a gift to our community. You have shown up consistently, quietly, and with heart, and that matters more than many people realize.
What resonated most for me is your reminder that the people at the Center are not “others.” They are our parents, our grandparents, our former coaches, teachers, neighbors, and volunteers. Many of us don’t fully understand senior needs until they become personal, until a parent stops driving, loses a spouse, or needs connection as much as they need services. By then, the need is immediate.
This reminds us that joy, connection, and belonging don’t happen by accident. Thank you for sharing this perspective and for all you’ve done to make Hingham a community that values people at every stage of life.
What a wonderful perspective! I’m sure you also give many joy! ❤️
Well said Rory! Thanks for putting words to what so many of us feel but struggle to articulate. The voices being shared around the Hingham Center for Active Living come from a place of genuine care, and it’s important that they’re heard and respected.
What feels so close to heart is the reminder that this conversation isn’t just about a building, numbers, or projections. It’s about people. It’s about connection, dignity, and quality of life. The Center is not simply a program or a location. It’s a lifeline for many older adults who rely on it for social interaction, transportation, purpose, and a sense of belonging.
As someone who is actively involved with the Center, I see firsthand the joy you describe. I see friendships formed, isolation eased, and lives enriched through simple human connection. These are longtime Hingham residents who built this town, raised families here, volunteered, coached, and contributed in countless ways. They are very much part of who we are as a community today.
I believe that communities are judged not just by how they plan for growth, but by how they care for those who came before. Creating an accessible, welcoming space that supports engagement and connection is an investment in compassion, not excess.
Thank you for reminding us that joy, humanity, and shared responsibility deserve a seat at the table as we consider what comes next. It takes a village to build the village, and to continue caring for the people who make it one!
$7 million additional dollars to unnecessarily clear forested land is no tribute to kindness and giving. We can have a wonderful center without this sacrifice. Just move the proposed site across the road. As you have already stated its what goes on inside that building that counts. That comes from caring people and does not rely upon destruction of a natural habitat.
Thank you Rory for this inspiring article and for widening the lens and bringing in the most important considerations for a thriving community… joy, connection and service.
Most all of us agree that a new building space is needed, however many of us do not want to see the location be within the forest of Bare Cove. Most all of us feel the other locations have not been vetted sufficiently, especially the current buildings on the Bare Cove access road. So many of us want the Trees to survive this endeavor. Trees are critical to our world, all Trees.
The issue that I have with this project, and that I think many other share, is that there is no data or evidence that indicates that the current senior center is actually “outgrown” as this article suggests. Outgrown means that the current center is operating at, or over capacity, which does not appear to be the case. I think most agree that the current center is outdated and in need of a renovation. To that end, a renovation and expansion into the vacated police station in town hall seems more appropriate. Financing an expensive project under the theory that building a larger center will attract more people is unreasonable. There is no evidence that has been provided that demonstrates a correlation between the age of the population and the number of people who actually use the senior center in Hingham, or any other municipality. I understand that Hingham has an aging population and I fully support providing services and a space for them. Taking on substantial debt to finance a project that is non-essential is irresponsible. Our seniors deserve a solution, but not a burden.
Thank you Rory for reminding us that the CAL is about people and not just spreadsheets. See my Opinion essay this week. “You’ve gotta have Heart”.